Migration Program Statistics

This was found in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website under Statistics.

It may be of some interest to the readers of our blog site.

The following table contains migration program outcomes for 2005–06 to 2009–10 and planning levels for 2010–11.

Category	2005–06 Outcome	2006–07 Outcome	2007–08 Outcome	2008–09 Outcome	2009–10 Outcome	2010–11 Planning Levels9
Partner1	36 374	40 435	39 931	42 098	44 755	42 000
Child2	2547	3008	3062	3238	3544	3300
Preferential/Other Family3	1869	2136	2378	2530	2468	750
Parent4	4501	4500	4499	8500	9487	8500
Total Family	45 291	50 079	49 870	56 366	60 254	54 550
Employer Sponsored5	15 226	16 585	23 762	38 026	40 987	44 150
Skilled Independent	49 858	54 179	55 891	44 594	37 315	35 200
State/Territory Sponsored6	8024	6928	7530	14 055	18 889	23 000
Skilled Australian Sponsored7	19 062	14 167	14 579	10 504	3 688	3 500
Distinguished Talent	99	227	211	201	199	200
Business Skills8	5060	5836	6565	7397	6789	7800
1 November Onshore	7	0	2	0	1	0
Total Skill	97 336	97 922	108 540	114 777	107 868	113 850
Skill as percent of total program	68.1	66.1	68.4	67.0	64.0	67.5
Total Special Eligibility	306	199	220	175	501	300
Total Program	142 933	148 200	158 630	171 318	168 623	168 700

Note: Numbers have been rounded and totals may not be the exact sum of components.

Migration Program numbers do not include New Zealand citizens or holders of Secondary Movement Offshore Entry (Temporary), Secondary Movement Relocation (Temporary) and Temporary Protection Visas and are detailed at the top of the planning range.

¹ Includes spouse, fiancé and interdependent. Net outcome as places taken by provisional visa holders who do not subsequently obtain permanent visas are returned to the Migration Program in the year that the temporary visas expire.

² Includes Child-adoption, Child Dependent and Orphan Minor.

³ Includes Aged Dependent, Carer, Orphan Unmarried and Remaining Relatives.

⁴ Includes Designated, Contributory and Non-contributory Parents.

⁵ Includes Employer Nomination Scheme, Labour Agreement, Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.

⁶ Includes State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme and Skilled Independent Regional.

⁷ Includes brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, non-dependent children, working age parents, grandchildren and first cousins who have been skill tested.

⁸ Net outcome as cancelled visas are returned to the Migration Program in that year.

⁹ Initial Planning Level.

Should the reader have further enquiries regarding this entry or their own person visa enquiry, please contact the writer via our FREE VISA ASSESSMENT  – link on the Home Page or by writing an email direct.

We endeavour to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

Parent Visa Queue

Parent visas include visas in both the parent and the contributory parent categories.

Parent category visa applications have a lower processing priority than other family stream visa applicants such as partners, children and the contributory parent category.

In the 2010–11 Migration Program year:

• 1000 places will be allocated to the (non-contributory) Parent category, including approximately 700 places for Parent (subclass 103) visas and approximately 300 places for Aged Parent (subclass 804) visas.
• 7500 places have been allocated to the Contributory Parent category. This includes approximately 7000 places for Contributory Parent visas (subclass 173 or subclass 143) and approximately 500 places for Contributory Aged Parent visas (subclass 884 or subclass 864).

The final proportion of places allocated between applicants applying in and outside Australia in both Parent visa categories is dependent on a number of factors, including client response times.

To ensure equity, all parent category visa applications are assessed in order of lodgement, assigned a queue date and then placed in the queue for the relevant visa subclass. Applicants are advised of their queue date when they reach this stage.

The queue date is the date that the application was assessed as meeting the initial criteria for a parent category visa. When a queue date has been assigned it is a fixed date and the application cannot be given priority ahead of other applications. Applications are considered for grant in order of their queue date as places become available.

Parent category queue

In the 2010–11 Migration Program year, 1000 parent category visa places are available for applicants applying from in and outside Australia.

Based on current planning levels, parent category visa applicants can expect an approximate 20 year wait before visa grant consideration after being allocated a queue date.

Contributory parent category queue

In 2007–08, high demand for the contributory parent visa category meant that a queue formed for the first time.

In the 2010–11 Migration Program year, 7500 contributory parent category visa places are available for applicants applying from in and outside Australia.

Based on current planning levels new contributory parent category visa applicants can expect to wait up to two years before visa grant consideration.

Applicants for contributory parent category visas should note that processing times can vary. It is important that applicants ensure they have funds available for the second visa application charge at all times in the application process, as payment may be required at an earlier date than was originally anticipated at the time of visa application lodgement.

Applicants place in the queue

The number of people ahead of applicants in the queue includes applicants being considered for visa grant for this migration program year.

Numbers in the queue are subject to:

• changes to planning levels
• fluctuations due to visa grants, refusals and withdrawals
• fluctuations due to successful review cases which are given priority

Special circumstances of a compelling or compassionate nature

The order of precedence for considering and finalising parent visa applications will not be affected by any special circumstances of a compelling or compassionate nature.

This means that once a queue date has been assigned it is a fixed date and the application cannot be given priority ahead of other applications even if such circumstances exist, as this may disadvantage other applicants whose circumstances are equally or more compelling or compassionate.

Should the reader wish to discuss this email further or have a question regarding Parent Visas or any other type of visas, please either contact us via or email address or complete our FREE VISA ASSESSMENT on the Home Page.